Method of permanently marking tire casings



March 9 A. P. SWOBODA METHOD OF PERMANENTLY MARKING TIRE CASINGS Origi lFiled Dec. 24, 1919 mun Hill 10 In AW in -10 Shun x1 0 gl w j} fiwabodzjPatented'Mar. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALOIS SWOBODA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF PERMANENTLY MARKING TIRE CASINGS.

original application filed December 24, 1919, Serial No. 347,056.Divided and this application filed May 2a, 1923. Serial No. 641,785

character, which may either be used for tion for air, fuel or oil.

trade-mark purposes or formed and arranged in such a manner as to be ofmaterial assistance in detecting andfllocating stolen tires andvehicles.

According to the present invention itis contemplated to provide a rubbervehicle tire with a distinctive character which is formed in suchamanner that it cannot be removed without leaving unmistakable signs ofmutilation, and which can be readily seen by any passer-by when theautomobile is standing, or when it stops at a supply sta- The tire isthus marked in such a manner that identification will be easy, and themark may either be in the form of a name or trademark, or in the form ofan individual identification character which will act as a form ofinsurance against theft of the tire itself or the vehicle upon which thetire is placed, since it will render identification and recovery of thetire, if stolen, comparatively simple.

The invention contemplates a novel method of providing a rubber vehicletire or like article with a distinctive mark of this character, and thisapplication is a division of a co-pending application for anidentification means for tires and wheels which was filed on December24, 1919, Serial No. 347,056.

For a full understanding of the process and the manner in which it isperformed reference is to be had to the following description andaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of aportion of a vehicle tire which is formed with distinctive characters ormarks, formed in accordance with the present invention, the body of thetire being white while the identification characters are red in color.

Figure 2 is a, similar view in which the body of the. tire is black andthe identification characters red 1n color.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the tire, showing themanner in which the characters are formed, by causing a portion of aninner thickness of rubber to project into thezone of a superposedthickness of rubber having a different color and be exposedtherethrough.

7 Referring specifically to the drawings the numeral 1 designates thebody or carcass of the tire which is formed in the usual manper ofrubber and fabric, certain of the fabric thicknesses being indicated at2. The sides of the tire are provided with any desired marks, letteringor data, such as that indicated at 3, and may. also be provided inaddition with large and conspicuously displayed identificationcharacters. The identification characters may be of any suitable type,being shown in the present instance as including a serial number 4, aletter 5, and an arbitrary sign or symbol. 6. These identificat'ioncharacters are preferably'suflicient ly large to be easily read at aglance, although they may be of any desired dis'tinctive design and maybe of any desiredsize.

The characters are of a color different from that of the tire carcass,so that the contrust of colors will enable the characters to be easilyread. In, Figure 1 the body of the tire is indicated as having the usualgray or white color, while the identification characters are red. InFigure 2 the same reference numerals refer to similar partsor features,although the color scheme is different. the body of the tire beingblack, while the identificationcharacters are red. The distinctivecoloring of the characters is due; to the coloring of the rubber itself,and all of the rubber parts are cured orcvulcanized together, so thatthey form an integral and essential part of the rubber body of the tire.These characters are conspicuously displayed on the side of the tire, sothat they can be seen or read at a glance without difficulty, and theyare formed in such a inanner that it is impossible to remove or efi'acerubber which is superposed'upon an inner rubber thickness l of uncuredrubber having a difi'erent color from thatof the outer thickness 1.After the carcass has thus been built up it is cured or vulcanized inthe usual manner. This vmay be conveniently done by placing the carcassin an ordinary mold and subjecting it to pressure in the usual mannerduring the period of vulcanizatio-n. In the curing of the tire therubber of the inner thickness 1 may be caused to protrude into and fillthe openings in the to be stolen than an ordinary tire not somarked.

It will be obvious that a tire manufactured by this process will havegreat value to 'the manufacturer as an advertising medium, since it willenable his products to be distinguished at a glance from the similarproducts of another manufacturer.

As has been previously stated, this application is a division of aco-pending application which was filed December 24, 1919, Serial No.347,056. The claims of the copending application are directed to theproduct or tire itself, While the claims of this application aredirected to the metho or process of making the tire.

\Vhile I- have described one particular means of carrying out theprocess in detail,

I do not wish to restrict myself to the exact details disclosed, sincevariations and modifications are possible without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is, v p Y 1. The method of producing a tirecasing having a distinctive character thereon'which is of a colorcontrasting with the color of the casing, said method consisting ofbuilding up a tire carcass with independent and superposed thicknessesof un'vulcanized rubber which extend substantially around the entireperiphery of the carcass, and Vulcan-- corresponding portions of theinner thickness-of rubber are displayed.

2. The method of producing a tire casing having a distinctive characterthereon 'which is of a color contrasting with the color of the casing,said method consisting of building up a tire carcass with superposedthicknesses of unvulcani zed rubber which have contrasting colors andextend around sub-' stantially the entire periphery of the carcass,vulcanizing the tire carcass whereby the two superposed thicknesses arejoined together in a homogeneous rubber mass, and simultaneously withthe vulcanization permitting portions of the inner thickness of rubberto "protrude into the plane of the outer thickness, said protrudingportions having the shapeof the desired distinctive character, andcorresponding openings being formed in the outer thickness of materialto receive the protruding portions of the inner thickness'and permitthe. same to be displayed.

3. The method of producing a' tire casing having a distinctive characterthereon which is of a color contrasting with the color of the casing,asid method consisting of building up a tire carcass with. superposedthickouter thickness, and providing means for causing said protrudingportions to have a desired configuration, said protruding portions beingvisible through corresponding openings in the outer thickness.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALOIS P. SWOBODA.

